Johannesburg mayor opens new clinic in Doornkop
Ahmed, who marks two months into the office of the mayor, said he was tasked with the mammoth task of restoring the City to its former status. He spoke about the decline of service delivery in the city.
City of Johannesburg Mayor, Thapelo Amad led the official opening of the newly built Bophelong Clinic in Doornkop, Snake Park last week.
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The Mayor who was joined by the MMC of Health and Social Development, Cllr. Ennie Makhafola delivered the keynote address and said the opening of Bophleong Clinic was in line with the city’s priority of ensuring adequate health care for Johannesburg residents.
“Today as I am here, it is my duty to remind us that a key element of improving the City lies in the health and well-being of every Johannesburg resident. Every resident deserves access to quality health care that is efficient, accessible and adequate and that is something we are determined to give our people,” he said during his address.
Amad said he was impressed by the ‘state of the art’ clinic, adding that the clinic was an indication of the standard of the kind of primary health institutions that should be delivered to communities across the city of Johannesburg.
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“Today we confront the health challenges in our communities and bring to Doornkop and surrounding areas the state of the art facility behind me, eco-friendly and capable of accommodating large numbers.
“While I am impressed with the efforts of JDA, delivering a facility like this, I am happy that this world class facility will offer a wide range of services.”
The revamped clinic boasts 18 consulting rooms and offers full primary health care services. The total cost of the clinic project was R66M, with the clinic construction costing R58 million and additional R8M for the external sewer upgrade.
MMC Ennie Makhafola who sang the praises of the clinic construction said, “When we got into office, we said we will make sure that we bring service delivery to the people and the opening on this facility today is an example of the promises we as the EFF have made to the people.”
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Makhafola alluded that the clinic may become one of the primary Healthcare institutions operating extended hours.
“The clinic is amazing and meets the standards of the kind of services our people should be getting. The clinic, as ideal as it is, you might be lucky and it becomes one of the clinics that are running for 24/hours,” she said to loud cheers.
The mayor, who applauded Makhafola’s proposal, said that such plans were great for the city citing that it would create employment opportunities for locals.
Ahmed, who marks two months into the office of the mayor, said he was tasked with the mammoth task of restoring the City to its former status. He spoke about the decline of service delivery in the city.
Residents disrupted the proceedings, demanding to ask questions to the Mayor and MMC Makhafola.
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They cited grievances pertaining to tensions between community members, the ward Cllr and the contractors and unemployed youth in the area.
“There are serious issues not just here in Doornkop but in the city that is why there was uproar from people.
“When we entered these facilities, we were handed over a memorandum by some residents and I pleaded that we are not running away from issues facing communities,” he added that all concerns would be looked into.
The construction of the clinic started in April 2019, and practical completion was achieved at the end of April 2021.
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